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Thursday, April 6, 2017

Occasionally, my mom will ask me if I am sure there were three Jonathan Richardson's in Dad's family. Every time, I assure her that yes, there were three men named Jonathan Richardson (father, son, grandson).However, little evidence exists in Livonia, Ontario County (now Livingston County), New York where the family settled between 1800 and 1810 (probably around 1804/5). The sources consist of two census records and three deeds.Deed 1:On 29 November 1814 Jonathan Richardson of Livonia, Ontario Co, New York bought a parcel of land from Robert Bowne of New York City for $329.31.This land was described as being in the town[1] of Livonia containing 73.018 acres "...lying in the northwest corner of lot number sevente [sic]...."[2] The witnesses were Wm H Bowne and Edmund P Gallagher.Deed 2:On 2 February 1821 Jonathan Richardson Sr sold 73.018 acres of land in the northwest corner of lot 70 of Livonia to Jonathan Richardson Jr for $1.[3] The witnesses were Jonathan 3rd Richardson, Asa Davis, and Warren Wheeler.

Analysis:

The wife of Jonathan Richardson Sr did not sign away her right to her dower portion of the land, a further indication that she was probably deceased by 1821 (also she was not in the 1820 census).

Note that on this deed there are three men named Jonathan Richardson acting on this deed: the original Jonathan; Jonathan Jr, his son; and Jonathan III, his grandson, son of Jonathan Jr.

Asa Davis is almost certainly the same Asa Davis that married Jonathan Richardson Sr’s first daughter, Sarah.

Warren Wheeler administered the estate of Daniel Richardson (believed brother of Jonathan Jr and Joseph Sr) when he died in 1820.

Deed 3:On 14 October 1829, Jonathan Richardson and Rhoda his wife of Livonia, New York sold to Jonathan Richardson Junior of Richmond, Ontario Co, New York a parcel of land containing 73.018 acres in lot 70 of Livonia for $1,500.[4]

Witnesses to the deed were George Smith and Daniel Richardson

This Daniel Richardson cannot be the brother of the Jonathan2 and Joseph Sr as he died 10 November 1820 and his widow, Philena Richardson, had remarried by 1830 to John Backus.

Could be Daniel Richardson (b.1809) son of Jonathan and Rhoda Richardson, as he would be 20 years old. [This is most likely, given that Jonathan and Rhoda are the ones selling the land.]

Could also be Daniel Richardson (b.1805), son of Joseph and Abigail Richardson; he would be 24 years old in 1829. However, there is no record of this Daniel after the 1820 census.

Third potential is Daniel J Richardson (b.1806), son of Daniel and Philena Richardson, as he would be 23 years old. By 1827, he was living in Mt. Morris, Livingston Co, NY, with his wife, Thankful G. (Camp) Richardson.

Analysis:

Rhoda signed her right to her dower portion of the land.

Based on this deed and the previous deed selling this parcel of land, JonathanI Richardson had died, and Jonathan II Richardson, known as Jonathan Richardson Jr has now become a Jonathan Richardson without a modifier. The Jonathan Jr in this deed is the Jonathan III in the 1821 deed.

Portions of Richmond, Ontario Co, New York became part of the town of Canadice (in the same county) in 1829.

The 1810 US Federal census has the family of Jonathan (I) Richardson and Jonathan (II) Richardson in the same household:[5]

There is no probate for Jonathan I or Jonathan II in Ontario or Livingston counties.Based on other sources, I believe the family came from Leyden, Massachusetts. However, what these five sources show is that there were three men named Jonathan Richardson in Livonia, NY, between 1810 and 1829.Jonathan I - b. supposedly c. 1743; died between 1821 and 1829; spouse unknown.Jonathan II - b.1762; d. 1850; son of Jonathan I; spouse Rhoda ThompsonJonathan III - b. 1799; d.1880; son of Jonathan II and Rhoda Thompson; spouse Marinda Moore.[1]For town, read “township”; “In New York, a town is the major division of each county (excluding the five counties that comprise New York City), very similar to townships in other states such as Pennsylvania, Ohio, and Indiana.” (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Administrative_divisions_of_New_York#Town)

[2] Bowne, Robert H to Jonathan Richardson, 29 November 1814, Ontario County, New York, Deed Book 22: 468-469, Ontario Co, New York County Clerk, Deed records v. 22-23 1814-1815, Family History Library microfilm 0494835.[3] Richardson, Jonathan Sr to Jonathan Richardson Jr, 2 February 1821, Ontario County, New York, Deed Book 37: 359-360, Ontario Co, New York County Clerk, Deed records v. 36-37, 1820-1821, Family History Library microfilm 0494842.[4]Richardson, Jonathan and Rhoda to Jonathan Richardson Jr, 14 October 1829, Livingston County, New York, Deed Book 8:44-45, Livingston Co, New York County Clerk, Deed Records v. 8-9, 1829-1831, Family History Library microfilm 0510038.